Railway switch position indicator



March 27, 1956 c. R. MARCUM 2,740,041

RAILWAY SWITCH POSITION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVEN TOR.

CHARLES R. MARCU/Y) WWW A TTORNE Y March 27, 1956 c. R. MARCUM 2,740,041

RAILWAY SWITCH POSITION INDICATOR Filed Oct. 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

CHARLES R. MARCUM BY wnlfw ATTORNEY 2,740,041 RAILWAY SWITCH POSITION INDICATOR Charles R. Marcum, Jelfersontowu, Ky., assignor to General Equipment & Manufacturing Company, Louisville,

Ky., a corporation of Kentucky Application October 6, 1951, Serial No. 250,107

6 Claims. (Cl. 246-220) This invention relates to railway switch position indicators.

As indicated in Figure 1, a railway switch, for switching railway vehicles from one track to another, normally comprises: a pair of fixed outer rails 1 and 2; a pair of diverging inner rails 3 and 4, having their adjacent converging ends rigidly secured to the track bed and their laterally spaced free ends arranged for conjoint lateral movement between laterally spaced switching and nonswitching positions; and a transversely arranged bridle bar 5 for moving the inner rails conjointly from one position to another, the bridle bar extending underneath the rails from one inner rail suiiiciently beyond the other inner rail to project from one side of the track and being connected to both inner rails so that when it is moved in one direction or the other, it will effect a corresponding conjoint movement of the inner rails.

The bridle bar is conventionally moved either by a manually controlled switch operating mechanism located adjacent its projecting end or by a remotely controlled switch operating mechanism. Normally, a railway switch position indicator is located near the switch and connected to the bridle bar or the switch operating mechanism to indicate the particular position of the switch. It sometimes occurs, however, that the bridle bar becomes disconnected from one or both of the inner rails so that when the switch operating mechanism is operated, the indicator is also operated but each of the disconnected inner rails is not operated. As a result of the resulting false indication, accidents have occurred.

The principal object of this invention is to eliminate the foregoing cause of accidents.

Another important object is to provide a switch position indicator which will indicate the switching or nonswitching position of the inner rails only when both rails are in the switching or non-switching position and which otherwise will give a danger signal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive indicator for accomplishing the foregoing objectives.

Two embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a railway switch provided with an indicator constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the control unit shown between the inner rails of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of one of the several switching units in the control unit; 7

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the control unit shown in Figure 2; Y

Figure 5 isan enlarged side view of the switch unit shown in Figure 3;

IFigure 6 is a diagram schematically illustrating the switch position indicator of Figures 1-5 and Figure-7 is a schematic diagram of a modification.

It will be understood that the inner rails 3 and 4 will be conventionally actuated through the bridle bar 5 by any of the conventionalswitching mechanisms normally 7Q employed, these conventional mechanisms not-forming 2,740,041 Patented Mar. 27,. 1956 Ice 2 any part of the present invention and therefore not being illustrated.

It should also be understood that, adjacent each railway switch, there is provided: a green signaling means G for indicating the green position of the railway switch,

which could be either position but in this case is the switching position; a yellow signaling means Y for indicating the yellow or non-switching position of the switch; and, if desired, a red signaling means R as a danger signal, although this particular signaling means may be omitted in which event a dark indicator constitutes a danger signal. Each of these signaling means may be either a signal lamp or some electrically actuated mechanism for operating a signaling lamp or some other appropriate form of signal. For the sake of concrete illustration, however, we shall assume that green, yellow, and red signaling lamps are employed.

Necessarily, there will be an electric circuit for each lamp. These circuits are, for the sake of clarity only, hereinafter identified by the color of the respective lamps, i. e., green circuit, yellow circuit, and red circuit if a red lamp is employed. Naturally the yellow circuit will operate, when closed and thereby energized, to eifiect an indication of the yellow position of said railway switch. Similarly the green circuit will operate, when closed and thereby energized, to efiect an indication of the green position thereof.

In accordance with my invention, means, controlled by said inner rails, are provided for closing the yellow circuit only in the yellow position and the green circuit only in the green position, said means, in the preferred form, including: means controlled by one inner rail to effect both the opening of a switch in one circuit as it leaves the position corresponding to that circuit and the closure of a switch in the other circuit when it reaches a position corresponding to the other circuit; and independent means, controlled by the other inner rail, to eifect both the opening of another switch in said one circuit as it leaves a position corresponding to that circuit and the closure of another switch in said other circuit as it enters a position corresponding to that circuit.

From this it will be apparent: that, if the railway switch operates properly, in moving from one position to the other, the position indicator for the said one position-will be extinguished as soon as the switch leaves that position while the indicator for the other position will be energized as soon as the railway switch reaches the other position; that, if the railway switch fails to move from one position to the other, in response to the actuation of the railway switch operating mechanism, the position indicator will remain unchanged showing the actual position of the railway switch; and that if the railway switch moves improperly, in response to the actuation of its operating mechanism, as would be the case if one-inner rail failed either to move out of one position or to reach the other position, then both the green and yellow circuits will be de-energized.

Upon-the de-energization of both green and yellow circuits, the switch position indicator will be dark, unless a red signaling circuit is provided. In further accordance with my invention, a red signaling circuit is arranged to,be de-energized when either the green and yellow circuits is energized and to be energized when both of the green and yellow circuits are tie-energized.

In carrying out my invention, a control unit 10, housing the green and yellow switches, is securely anchored in the track bed between the free ends of the inner rails 3 and 4. This control unit is provided with a pair of upwardly extended guides 11 and 12, one at each side. These guides-cooperatively provide one pair of aligned guide holes-to receive oneend portionof an actuating rod 13 whose opposite end portion is connected to inner rail 3 and another pair of aligned guide holes to receive one end portion of another actuating rod 14 whose opposite end is connected to the inner rail 4. Since the actuating rods are connected directly to the inner rails, each actuating rod will move only when its particular rail is moved and to the same extent.

Between the guides 11 and 12, each of the rods 13 and 14 carry at least one, and preferably two, switch actuating members. Thus rod 13 carries actuating members 15 and 16 while rod 14 carries actuating members 17 and 18. These actuating members 1518 are in the the form of collars fixedly mounted on their respective rods. On rod 13, the collar 15 controls the operation of one yellow switch 20 while the collar 16 controls the actuation of one green switch 21. Similarly, the collars 17 and 18 on the other rod 14 respectively control the actuation of yellow switch 22 and green switch 23.

The relationship between collars and switches isthe same for all except that the yellow collars 15 and 17 are arranged to close their respective yellow switches only in the yellow position while the green collars 16 and 18 close their respective switches only in the green position. The switch structure which cooperates with the collars to operate switches 20-23 is the same for all switches; hence the cooperative structure of one switch only will be described.

Each switch has an armature 25, an upright rod 26 connected to armature 25, and a spring 27 urging the armature and rod 26 to the upper or open position of the switch. The housing of control unit 10 carries an arm 28 which is provided at one end with a roller 29 and pivotally mounted at its other end 30 for movement from a more or less horizontal (switch closing) position to an upper switch open position in which it inclines upwardly from its pivot 30. The arm 28 is urged by a spring 31 to its inclined position in which it leaves the associated switch free to move to its upper open position.

Each roller 29, associated with a yellow switch, is positioned to be entirely free of its actuating collar when the inner rails are in the green position but, as the rails move to the yellow position, such rollers will be engaged and move downwardly by their respective actuating collars so as to effect the closure of the yellow switches when the rails reach their respective yellow positions. The rollers 29 associated with the green switches are similarly free in the yellow position and engaged in the green position.

A more complete understanding of the structure can be obtained from an explanation of the operation of this arrangement as it is schematically shown in Figure 6 wherein the parts are in the yellow position. In such position, yellow collars 15 and 17 close the yellow switches 20 and 22 while the green collars 16 and 18, being located to one side of their respective green switch actuating positions, permit the green switches to move to their respective upper open positions.

In the yellow position, power flows from a trolley '1 through line connection 33, yellow indicator Y, and yellow switches 20 and 22, in series, to ground. Now, if the rods 13 and 14 be moved leftward to positions corresponding to green positions of rails 3 and 4, which are shown in dotted lines, the yellow collars 15 and 17 will at the beginning of such rail movement release their respective yellow switch mechanisms permitting yellow switches 20 and 22 to open while, at the end of such rail movement, the green collars 16 and 18 will engage their respective green switch mechanisms to close green switches 21 and 23. When this occurs, power will flow from trolley T through line connection 33, green indicator G and green switches 21 and 23, in series, to ground.

If only one of the inner rails, say the rail 3, were to move to the left, in response to the actuation of the railway switch operating mechanism, then, of the two yellow switches 20 and 22, only yellow switch 20 would open at the beginning of such movement and of the two green switches,only green switch 21 would'close at theend'of.

such movement. This would open the yellow circuit at switch 20 and leave the green circuit open at switch 23. This would leave the entire indicator dark and such con dition constitutes a dangersignal.

In order to make a positive indication of danger, a red signaling circuit, containing an indicator R, maybe provided and arranged to be controlled by a red relay coilv 35 placed in line 33 so as to be in series with .both of the green and yellow circuits. Red relayycoil 35 will thus be energized when either of the green and yellow circuits are de-energized. By placing the switch 36 of relay'35 in series in the red signaling circuit and arranging that switch to open and close with the energization and de-.' energization respectively of relay 35, the red circuit will be energized only when the rails fail to move properly.,

In Figure 6 the armatures 25 in the upper positionsof the switches 2023, respectively close disconnected; switches 4043. If desired, the switches 40 and 42, asso ciated with yellow switches 20 and 22, can be connected in series in the green circuit with green switches 21 and,

. 23 while switches 41 and 43, similarly associatedwwith green switches 21 and 23, can be similarly connected in series in the yellow circuit with yellow switches 20 and 22. This is indicated in the schematic diagramof Figure-,7, With this arrangement, each of the yellow and green cir-- cuits is opened and closed at four points, two openings in; one circuit and two simultaneous closings in the otheroccurring at the beginning of rail movement with two addi tional openings in the one and twoadditional closures in: the other occurring at the end of such movement.

I claim as my invention:

1. A position indicator for a railway switch having a. pair of inner rails movable between switching and non-- switching or yellow and green positions, respectively, comprising: a yellow circuit operable, when closed and thereby energized, to effect an indication of the yellow position: of said railway switch; green circuit operable, when closed,

and thereby energized, to effect an indication of the green position thereof; a source of power for said circuits; and, operating means, controlled by. said inner rails, to close the yellow circuit only in the yellow position and the; green circuit only in the green position, said operating means including means controlled byoneinner rail-to effect both the opening of an electric switch serially connected in one circuit as said one inner rail leaves the posi-f tion corresponding to that circuit and the closure of an electric switch serially connected in the other circuitwhen it reaches a position corresponding to the other circuit. and independent means controlled by the other rail to, efiect both the opening of another electric switch serially. connected in said one circuit as it leaves a position corresponding to that' circuit and the closure of another electric, switch serially connected in said other circuit as it enters a position corresponding to that circuit.

2. A position indicator for a railway switch having a' pair of inner rails movable betweenswitching and nonswitching or yellow and green positions, respectively, coma prising: a yellow circuit for the yellow position and a green; circuit for the green position, each circuit being operable, when energized, to effect an indication of the correspond-. ing position of said railway switch, at least'one circuit being energized upon the closure of two electric switches and being deenergized upon the opening of either of said electric switches; means, controlled by one inner rail, to close and open one of said electric switches in one circuit as said one inner rail enters and leaves the position corre sponding to that one circuit; and means independently and deenergized upon the opening of either of said other electric switches; means, controlled by one inner rail, to close or open one of said other electric switches in said other circuit as said one inner rail enters or leaves the position corresponding to that other circuit; and means independently controlled by the other inner rail to effect the opening of the other of said other electric switches in said other circuit as said other rail enters or leaves the position corresponding to said other circuit.

4. The indicator of claim 3 including: a red circuit normally deenergized when either of said green or yellow circuits are energized, said red circuit being operable, when energized, to effect a warning signal concerning said railroad switch; and means, controlled by the deenergization of both green and yellow circuits, to energize the red circuit.

5. The indicator of claim 2 wherein said inner rail con References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,293,290 Zabel Feb. 4, 1919 1,362,205 Waldron et al. Dec. 14, 1920 1,781,284 Karl ...1 Nov. 11, 1930 1,843,894 Bodde Feb. 2, 1932 

